LIBERATION
by Prasino45
Summary: "Right and wrong are not what separate us and our enemies. It's our different standpoints, our perspectives that separate us. Both sides blame one another. There's no good or bad side. Just two sides holding different views." Everyone has a story. This one is Rinoa's. This story coincides with the events of Underground Stories.
1. LIBERATION: Preface

****Disclaimer:** **I do not own Final Fantasy 8, even though it would be cool if I did. I do own all the OCs.

* * *

**NOTE: **This story coincides with the events in Underground Stories: Naperic Legacy. It is recommended to at least read the preface and the first two chapters of Underground Stories: Naperic Legacy, but it is entirely up to you.

**Underground Stories: LIBERATION**

** Preface**

_Right and wrong are not what separate us and our enemies. It's our different standpoints, our perspectives that separate us. Both sides blame one another. There's no good or bad side. Just two sides holding different views._

He said that to her once.

Ever since all this started, Rinoa had those words echoing in her mind. How true they were was undeniable. He wasn't just a crazy teenager who thought he was some kind of philosopher, but he had no idea how right he was in the world they lived in.

In a society where different worlds could co-exist, where those sides devised plans to overthrow one another, and standing up for what they believed in. That was what this world- no, this _game_ all was about.

Every single player had a role. And hers was to finish what others before her had started. Her enemies had made this personal now. They had crossed a line. And he led them anyways.

Here she stood overlooking the streets of a city she once called her home, that was slowly becoming her prison cell. People always tried to control her, and now she wasn't having it.

Her men stood behind her plush leather armchair as she held a single glass of white wine. She sipped it slowly, brown eyes flashing up to the window that presented a well lit up city.

"Go," she told them, "Find our enemies and take them out."

"Yes, my lady."

She smiled as she heard the shuffle of boots exit the dark living room of the spacious condo. She _made _them address her this way.

Because she their a lady, because she was their sorceress.

* * *

**A/N: **During my hiatus a few months back, I started working on the LIBERATION project. This was a series of chapters (and one shots) of another side to Naperic Legacy. Rinoa's story in this saga is actually quite intricate and interesting that goes far beyond her character in the original game.

I'll admit I used to be a Rinoa hater for a long time, but after I started writing this saga again, and my views of her also began to drastically change, I started to love every flaw of her design. As for this series, if you have been keeping up, it isn't a Squinoa. LIBERATION is about how Rinoa deals with being a sorceress and how dangerous it can be. This also gives more perspective on her actions at the beginning of Naperic Legacy and dives deeper into the world of the Underground Resistance.

As for what to expect, since my energy is mostly on the main story, this one is expected to run a lot shorter than the other. Eventually her scenes will start to be more consistent in the original story when this one catches up.

Anyways, happy reading and please review! I answer all reviews!


	2. Phase 1: Questions and No Answers

****Disclaimer:** **I do not own Final Fantasy 8, even though it would be cool if I did. I do own all of the OCs.

* * *

**NOTE: **This story coincides with the events in Underground Stories: Naperic Legacy. It is recommended to at least read the preface and the first two chapters of Underground Stories: Naperic Legacy, but it is entirely up to you.

**Phase 1**

**Questions and No Answers **

**Terminal Diner/ Balamb Train Station- Balamb Island**

**June 2nd, 2007. 0922 hrs**

The one thing Rinoa enjoyed the most about Balamb was that she never doubted the sun to come out everyday. It almost never rained, and when it did, it was in short spurts. The clouds would clear and the air would be warm again. It was far from the dark clouds that hung over Deling City, where she grew up, all the time.

It'd been a few months since she decided to stay here after the war with friends to always be at her side and things to occupy her time. Rinoa felt content with her life.

Until now.

It had come in the form of a message in an envelope to her dorm room that drew her to the small café just detached from the train station. She peered out the window to see passengers claim their bags and reunite with loved ones. It was busier than usual, which was quite common for early summer. It was June, and people her age were just getting out of school for two long months of fun. What better place to do that than an island with the whitest beaches she'd ever seen.

Rinoa turned over the white envelope with the letter inside. Pulling it out, it was personally written in that all caps scrawl that she knew all too well. It was from an old friend addressed to her specifically. Rinoa's stomach fluttered nervously, and suddenly she felt guilt overcome her.

Would it be so wrong of her to get excited about meeting with another man? Well, he wasn't just any guy. She'd known him for a long time, and Squall would have to understand, right?

Maybe the guilt came from the fact that nobody knew she was here or that Squall was still at work. He was driving himself into an early grave with all the administrative paperwork he had to do after his big promotion. Who would have thought he would be delegated _more_ work when he was the _commander? _

In truth she hadn't seen much of him this week, and when she did, he was either busy training or just too tired. Actually, it was becoming more than just a habit, and soon she was hardly seeing Squall at all.

But this letter brought on other thoughts, possibilities even, or maybe even the news she was hoping for.

The figure came walking up, and a smile crossed her face when he slid into the raggedy booth. His crooked smirk and peculiar eyes brought on a huge wave of nostalgia. He looked older than when she last saw him. His black hair that used to be cropped right to his scalp and usual clean-shaven face was replaced with a fuller head of hair and a scruff growing on his jaw.

"So you got my letter." He smiled, leaning back taking her appearance in. Rinoa tried hard to hide the flush in her cheeks.

She held it up between two fingers, "A personal letter? Who even uses the post these days?"

"Hey," He chuckled, "Someone's gotta keep them in business."

Rinoa scoffed, "Why are you really here, Skyros?"

Skyros Angelus raised a thick black brow at her; skepticism took over his previously jolly expression. "I came to ask you that. Heard a few things about you."

Rinoa paused; her body became more alert, more aware of the consequences if Squall or the others found out that she left Garden on her own. If Skyros had come to these parts because he found out that she was a sorceress, Rinoa would potentially be in more danger than she thought. If he knew, then who else did? Who _told _him?

"…Like what?" Rinoa's voice was low as she articulated every syllable, but her brown eyes didn't bother to meet his.

Skyros leaned in, lowering his voice and shifting his gaze around the diner. "Why are you still in Balamb?"

"I…" Three months ago, she would have had that answer. Now, she wasn't so sure herself. "I have friends here."

"You have _friends _in Galbadia, Timber, Dollet, fuck, even FH! That's the point of being in the UA, Rin." Skyros growled, already frustrated with her.

"These people are different!" Rinoa defended. Her voice drew the attention of other patrons, and she promptly slid back into her seat ducking her head from view.

Skyros didn't look so convinced, narrowing his eyes at her and leaned back against the beat up leather of his seat. "They're _SeeDs. _Which is what I find quite interesting."

"Interesting?" She scoffed, "What am I? A research project?"

"Look, I know you hired SeeDs to help you guys with the liberation in Timber, but isn't it time to let that go?" Skyros frowned, "They didn't seem to help much anyways, Timber's still under Galbadian rule, or have you forgotten?"

"I didn't forget!" Rinoa said, "Maybe SeeD can help us again! I still have a valid contract with them."

Skyros shook his head, "You don't get it."

"I _do _get it!"

"SeeD aren't like us, Rinoa!" Skyros ground out. She could see that passion in his eyes that never seemed to diminish with time. She knew he still cared about her and still kept on fighting a battle they both helped start.

Skyros and Rinoa had a past- a long-winded one in fact. Without him, the Forest Owls wouldn't have accomplished so much back then. He was a warrior, not trained like Squall or any other SeeD, but highly skilled nonetheless with his sword and expansive knowledge of how the world _really _worked.

"SeeD care about one thing: money." He stressed, "They do the job, they get paid, they're done. These _friends _of yours don't get a fuck about Timber's liberation like we do." His larger hands rested on hers then. "Remember what we're actually fighting for."

Rinoa couldn't take this anymore. It was a mistake even coming here. She knew why he'd come, and that was to bring her back to Deling to join the Underground Association again. As much as she wanted Timber to be liberated, he was wrong about her friends. He had no idea what they had gone through in the past few months with the war and time compression and sorceresses. He had no idea that her _boyfriend _was none other than Squall Leonhart commander of Balamb Garden and leader of the very people he was telling her not to trust.

"I gotta go." She finally murmured, snatching her purse and making her way to the door without looking back. Angelus didn't seem to follow her, staying seated at their booth alone now without a word or having the last say in the argument.

As Rinoa exited the station she hugged her body tightly trying to work through the guilt of coming here on her own only to get cohered into going back to a life she was trying to get away from.

It was true that aside from being a sorceress, Rinoa had no other plan. She didn't _want_ to be a SeeD, she didn't _want_ to be a part of the military, and she didn't _want_ to fight anymore. The girl felt an overwhelming burst in her chest, and suddenly she was so fed up with it all. She could run, but where would she go? How would she be protected from whatever was out there trying to kill her?

Squall wouldn't leave SeeD, despite whatever he would claim. Yes, he was her knight, but that only went so far. Her knight was also in charge of the very people who wanted her dead.

Tears threatened to spill over her cheeks as her steps broke into a jog across the white cobblestones. Her throat already raw from the running, and her muscles quickly burned in protest. Her eyes shut tightly as she tried to regulate her breathing and prevent the tears from seeping out. Rinoa refused to let the world see her weaknesses, her confusion, and lack of direction with her life.

She just needed to get back before Squall or anyone knew she was gone.

_What was I thinking? Why did I even bother coming here? This was all just a mistake! _

"Ow! Watch where your fuckin' goin', princess!"

Rinoa halted and blinked, peering up at the blonde man in the tattered gray trench coat that she just bumped into. First Skyros, and now the last person she wanted to see…ever. One man who could take up so much of her time, and just when she really needed to get somewhere.

"Why are you here?" Rinoa tried to sound intimidating, but she knew that wouldn't phase the blonde gunblader.

"I hear the Rinuald beach has some good waves this time of year. Ya know, surfs up." Seifer shrugged, but Rinoa didn't seem to buy any of that. He cocked a dark blonde brow at her as if she was stupid, "Uhh…like, 'hang ten'?"

Rinoa crossed her arms, "I know what you mean."

A smirk crossed his face as his green eyes flashed down at her frown and body language, "Wow, spendin' too much time with Puberty boy! You almost look alike!"

"Shut up!" She snapped, "I don't even know why I'm even talking to you! You jerk!"

His hysterical laugh infuriated her even more making Rinoa huff and turn her heel to walk away from him. "Hey!" The ex-knight called after her, "I was kiddin', Rin, geez! You still can't take a joke!"

Rinoa stopped right there, and Seifer didn't expect her to spin around so fast. Turning on him, he could practically see steam coming out of her ears. "You fucking tried to feed me to a _sorceress _the last time we met! How _dare_ you come here and act like nothing ever happened!"

Seifer sighed, "When are you guys gonna give that up?"

"When you don't show up three months later acting like we're besties again!"

Finally, Seifer's frustration and unwanted sarcasm was gone. His current expression was something completely foreign to Rinoa as she had only seen him completely serious a handful of times- minus being possessed by a crazy sorceress from the future.

"Look, the real reason I came back was to apologize. To you, to Squall, to everyone, for what I did." Seifer's tone was solemn and could be easily mistaken for sincere. "I wasn't me. I had no control, and I feel like I could do better this time."

Rinoa blinked again, jaw dropped at his confession. Seifer and genuine had never been associated…ever. He was the last person she would expect to ever apologize for anything!

_There's something he wants. He wouldn't do it if it didn't benefit him._

"To _Squall_?" Rinoa scoffed in disbelief, "He's the _last_ person to ever forgive you! What makes you think he's gonna put this in the past?"

A small smile crossed his face, and it brought Rinoa back to a time where it was all so much easier. That summer in Timber where they could wake up late, eat breakfast for dinner, and drink and dance until the sun came up. Sneaking into all the good bars and clubs at night after a long day of planning the next strategy in the Forest Owl base.

"Well, if he's the last person to forgive me, that means you'd be the first."

It was Rinoa's turn to laugh, "What makes you think that?"

"Because you're still standin' here talkin' to me, aren't you?"

Rinoa's mouth clamped shut, and she took a steady inhale to calm her rattled nerves. What were the chances that she would run into not one ex-boyfriend, but two in the same day? She could only imagine the lecture she'd get from Squall if he heard about this.

"You are not coming with me!" Rinoa protested, continuing to walk away from him. Seifer was both larger and faster than she was, easily jumping into her path. Furious brown eyes looked up at his humored green ones. His large hands gently planted themselves on her bare shoulders, and a feeling of nausea overcame her.

_Who said you can touch me?_

"Then I'm sure Squall's gonna wanna know why you came here all by yourself to meet a guy who gave you a letter."

Her eyes narrowed in disgust. "You wouldn't!"

His deadpanned look told her differently, "I fed you to a crazy sorceress. What wouldn't I do?"

_You son of a…_

Scratch that.

She knew exactly what Squall would say from the lecture she was _going _to have because she not only left without saying anything, she was going to bring this asshole back with her.

A reluctant sigh escaped her lips, finally caving in. "Fine, but if he hurts you, I wont stop him from killing you."

Seifer smiled with delight to his small victory. "Great! Then what are we waitin' around here for!"


End file.
